Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Our Ward had a Chili and Pie cook-off on Saturday. Justin signed him up for chili, and me up for pie. I love to make pie, but because I love to eat pie, so I rarely share my pie.

It was time to leave, and Justin's chili was done, and my pie was still baking. I told him we could leave without the pie, but he insisted. "I want to show you off." I wasn't too confident in it because I wanted a few more minutes to bake it. But we packed up and jumped in a cab. We made it to the activity a half hour late, the judging had already begun. Justin quickly made sure the chili and pie were entered while I wrangled the boys.

We ate chili, we ate pie, we listened to live fiddle and guitar music, we talked, we watched Reuben run around with his friends. It was very enjoyable. My pie was going slowly, so I did get a piece and I was happy. It was barely cooked through, the crust just wasn't as crusty as I like. There was still some of my pie left in the pan, so I wasn't hopeful. Not that I thought I should win, but sometimes its nice to win so you always wish you could.

They announced the chili winners. Justin's authentic New Mexican Chili was just too different. And then it was time for the pie winners. Emily won third place with an apple pie. I've had her apple pie, and it is good. Then second place was my name, I am not the proud owner of a very simple but sturdy pie scooper. I lost to a banana caramel chocolate cream pie (which went really fast so I didn't get to try it.)

And what was my pie? They-should-have-never-canceled-Pushing-Daisies-Apple/Pear-Pie-with-Gruyere-baked-in-the-crust.

And the recipe won't help you much unless you are good at baking by sight, but here it is:

3 Cortland Apples1 Bosc Peara splash of lemon juicea small palm of floura bigger palm of cornstarchalmost 1/4 cup of sugara large palm of cinnamona small palm of all spicethree pinches of nutmeg

Flour, Crisco, Salt, Water crust

Gruyere cheese grated on the top crust after the first 20 minutes of baking.

"First the Worst,Second the Best,Third the one with the hairy chest..."

Okay, so the third line of the old school yard rhyme doesn't really apply, but the 2nd one totally does :) Congratulations on coming 2nd! And your pies and chillis are really really good! We'll have to put them on the agenda for April :)